Air sterilizing apparatus



May 2, 1944. D. J. KIELY AIR STERILIZING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1941'JNVENTOR. Da/zz'e/Jfle/y ATTORNEY Patented May 2, 1944 STA TNT OFFICE 3Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in air sterilizing apparatus,particularly to apparatus for destroying and controlling pathogenicbacteria by bactericidal radiant energy.

In prior apparatus of this character, ultraviolet ray lamps are employedfor the bactericidal radiant energy and these lamps usually aresupported in fixtures suspended directly above and over the area or zonewhich it is desired to sterilize. In such prior apparatus persons withinthe zone of sterilization must usually protect their eyes from the raysof the lamps. type of apparatus is necessary limited to sterilizing verysmall areas and suitable for only a particular situation and location.

In other instances in order to destroy pathogenic bacteria ultra-violetray lamps have been placed in existing structures and the addition ofthese lamps has enhanced the value of such existing structure which,however, were designed for other purposes, generally of a built incharacter, requiring considerable labor to install, requiring mutilationof walls, etc., and costly to install.

One object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for the controland extermination of air-borne pathogenic bacteria by bactericidalradiant energy differing from these described in that the apparatus willbe a complete unit, entirely self contained; adapted to be permanentlyor temporarily positioned in place, and in which the bactericidal rayswill be substantially shielded to persons in the vicinity thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the abovecharacter in which a flow of air will be maintained across thebactericidal rays in proportions to obtain the most efiicient results.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed,and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a frontview illustrating my improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1, with the cover partremoved;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the illus tration of Fig. 1 lookingtowards the same in the direction of the arrows 3- 5; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

This" According to the present invention, there is provided a completeunit apparatus in the form of a cabinet in which a chamber isprovidedhaving a restricted entrance opening and an eXit opening. In thechamber of this cabinet there is positioned a bactericidal ray emittingdevice or devices, in the instant case ultra-violet ray lamps elongatedin form and mountedto extend widthwise of the cabinet. An impeller inthe form of a motor fan is mounted in the chamber and is controllable asto R. P. M. and is actuated to circulate a stream of air through thechamber about the lamps and out of the exit opening. The velocity of theair through the chamber is controlled so as to provide for the mostefficient control of bacteria in accordance to the amount of radiationprovidediin the chamber. All connecting wires and necessary elementsforming the electric circuit for actuating the motor fan and lamps arelocated within the cabinet and a plug receptacle is located in theelectric circuit at a location to be readily connected by the well knownelectric cord plug connection to the usual house lighting or otheractive electric circuit. This unit apparatus is self contained and of adimension to adapt the same to be suspended in position by means ofhooks or it may be permanently secured in position-by screw bolts pass-'ing through openings provided in the rear wall of the cabinet. It isintended that the sterilizing apparatus b placed in private as well aspublic assembly places in which air sterilization will to a great extentprevent sickness.

Now referring to the drawing for a more detail description of theinvention and in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of myinvention, the numeral l0 designates generally a casing or cabinethaving a body portion H and a cover I2, providing when in assembledrelation a chamber l3 having in the lower end thereof an opening Hi. Thebody portion H of this cabinet may be made of a plastic or othersuitable material and is substantially U-shape in cross-sectionproviding a rear wall i5 and side walls it terminating short of theupper edge ll of the rear wall l5 providing a support upon which theupper wall It of the cover rests.

Suitably attached to the rear wall E5 of the body portion of the cabinetare supports 19 located in spaced relation with each other and with theside walls It forming between them and the side walls open channels 253.To these supports I9, mounted in a usual manner are two rows of lampreceiving receptacles M in which are received the ultra-violet ray lamps22, with the lamps in one row lying in staggered relationship with thelamps in the other row.

The cover part l2 of the cabinet may be made of any suitable materialbut preferably of a translucent plastic material and is in partsupported in position on the body part by spaced lugs 23 depending fromthe upper wall l8 and engaging pins 24 secured to and extending from therear wall 15, the side walls [6 and this cover is detachably retained inplace by screw bolts 26. The front portion of the cover is provided withan apertured boss 21 near the upper portion thereof and centrallylocated thereon, providing a re- In this opening 28 an impellerlispositioned in erally indicated 30 to be simultaneously actuated andcomprises the connecting wires 3l-32 and 33 extending in one of thechannels 20 and connecting one side of the lamps 22 to a transformer 34carried by the body portion, and wires 35-46 extending in the oppositechannel 20 and connecting the opposite side of the lamps in the circuit.Connecting wires 31-38 extend from the transformer 34 to the motor ofthe motor fan 29 and connecting wires 39-40 extend from the transformer34 to a plug receptacle provided in one of the walls I6. Electricalenergy may be supplied to the electrical circuit to energize theelements therein by employing the well known flexible electric cord andplug connection. The connection being made through the plug receptacle4l'to any convenient wall plug receptacle of an electrical housecircuit. A switch may be interposedin the circuit if desired, however,disconnecting the electric cord plug connection will open the circuit.

Thetranslucent material of the cover will permit observation of thelamps when lit. However, in order to provide for a more definiteindication of the proper functioning of the lamps, the outer surface ofthe cover is arranged to diffuse the rays emitting from the activelamps, in the instant case by ribbing the outer front surface asstricted opening 28 extending into the chamber at 42. This ribbedsurface will diflfuse the rays over the surface of the cover adjacentthe lamps in a manner that can be observed from a considerable distance.

While I have shown four ultra-violet ray lamps, this number of lamps maybe increased or decreased to suit varied conditions of installation.Holes 43 are provided in the rear wall through which screw bolts mayextend to secure the cabinet in place at the desired location or thecabinet may be suspended from proper supports by means of hooks or thelike passing through these openings.

- I claim:

1. An air sterilizing apparatus, comprising a cabinet having a chambertherein of greater width than depth and an inlet opening at the upperportion thereof and an outlet opening at the lower end extremitythereof, a plurality of elongated u1tra-violet ray lamps in said chamberpositioned at a location intermediate said openings and extendingwidthwise in said chamber and'in staggered relation .to each other, animpeller in said chamber and regulative means in said chamber foractuating said impeller to circulate a continuous stream of air aboutsaid lamps.

2. An air sterilizing apparatus, comprising a cabinet having a chambertherein provided with air inlet and outlet openings therein, a pluralityof ultra-violet ray lamps in said chamber posi tioned at a locationintermediate said openings and in staggered relation to each other andwith each lamp spaced from the adjacent lamp a distance to be within theoverlapping efiective bactericidal range thereof, an impeller in saidchamber, and means within said chamber for actuating said impeller tocirculate a stream of air about said lamps.

3. An air sterilizing apparatus comprising a cabinet having a body partand translucent plastic cover detachably secured to each other providinga chamber therebetween opened at one end and provided with an air inletat a location spaced from said opening, a bactericidal ray emitting

